Try It Now: Yoga

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Yoga exercises are still the perfect way to get strong, slim, and centered -- even after 5,000 years. Try this full-body workout.

By Nora Isaacs; Photos by Chris Fanning

Why You'll Love Yoga

Your body weight provides all the resistance you need to strengthen and sculpt from head to toe.
It's the perfect way to cross-train because it stretches tight muscles, increases range of motion, enhances balance, and improves alignment.
It's good for your body and mind: Yoga boosts energy and calms you as it teaches awareness, focus, and patience.

How Yoga Works

The ideal yoga workout incorporates six types of poses, says Roger Cole, PhD, a psychophysiologist and yoga instructor. "Together, they improve alignment, strength, flexibility, and relaxation." Standing poses build strength and stamina. Balancing poses improve balance, of course, but also promote focus. Forward bends stretch back and hamstring muscles; back bends improve breathing. Twists aid in digestion and tone abs. And inversions increase circulation, leaving you calm yet energized. We've designed a program with one pose from each group, plus modifications to make it easier for newcomers. Do each exercise once in the order given.

Next: 1. Warrior II (standing pose)

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a3984502 wrote:

A few months ago I started reading Brilliant Yoga: The Complete Guide to Upgrading Your Body and Life by Sarah Sanders. It helped me discover the amazing benefits of yoga: increased flexibility, stress relief, toned muscles, improved sense of health and wellbeing and so many more. It also helped me lose weight, which is great! If you want to transform your body, mind and spirit and improve your life quality, just visit Sarah's website at: http://tinyurl.com/yogaforyou

2/13/2012 07:02:59 AM Report Abuse